Coccoloba uvifera

Coccoloba uvifera, fruit stand

Coccoloba uvifera is a species of the genus Coccoloba in the family of the buckwheat family ( Polygonaceae ). German name for the type (as well as for the whole genus ) are " sea grape tree " and " Seetraube ".

Description

Coccoloba uvifera grows as evergreen shrub to tree, reaching heights of growth of usually 8 to 10 meters, under favorable conditions, up to 15 meters. Often, the plant forms a multi-stemmed, wide crown. The bark is gray-brown and smooth. The leaves are almost circular with heart- shaped base; they are leathery and smooth edges. The leaves are 12 to 20 cm tall and light green; the leaf veins are often colored red. In colder areas the leaves get a red autumn colors and fall off until winter.

The species is dioecious. The terminal inflorescences are 15 to 35 cm long, racemose and overhanging. The fragrant flowers are very small and petiolate. The fruits are almost perfectly round and about 2 cm in size; they are initially light green, later dark purple- colored to dark blue. The entire fruit stand is similar to the grape.

Dissemination

The home of this plant lies in tropical America. Their range extends from Florida and Mexico to the south through Central America (Belize, Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama) and the Caribbean islands (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Montserrat ) to northern South America ( Colombia, Ecuador and Brazil).

Meanwhile, the species was also introduced in other tropical areas such as Hawaii.

Use

The fruits of Coccoloba uvifera are edible; they are processed into jam and wine.

In tropical areas Coccoloba uvifera is often planted as a street tree. In addition, it is also used as a hedge plant or as a bonsai.

The wood is used for furniture production. The roots and the gummy sap are sometimes used as a remedy. In the 18-19. Century was known as " West Indian Cinema " of the plant juice. Cinema consists of tannic acid and the dye Kinorot and is soluble in hot water or alcohol. Previously used for dyeing and tanning to the cinema or as a painkiller for dental pain.

Ecology

The fruits are eaten by birds, squirrels and other mammals.

System

The first description comes from the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus and published in 1759 ..